Sermon Tone Analysis

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

TONIGHT: Veritas 10 year Party @ Short North (6pm)

Welcome

We’ve been looking at our Rhythms at Veritas.

Really diving deep into (1) what it looks like to live as a Christian and (2) What you can expect from Veritas as a church.

What we believe, what we prioritize, how we live

We talked about how we’re grounded on the gospel!

There this old hymn — The Solid Rock that was written in the mid 1800s that embodies this idea perfectly!

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

  All other ground is sinking sand

2

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand,   All other ground is sinking sand

ll other ground is sinking sand,   

All other ground is sinking sand

We are saved, formed, founded upon — the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Secondly, we talked about WORSHIP.

Where we recognise that in all of life, we are to attribute value and glorify God — this is the most life-giving reality!

Week three we talked about COMMUNITY.

We’re made by God, redeemed by Jesus, and saved through his work and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit to be in relationship with God and with God’s people.

We’re made to be in healthy life-giving relationships with others.

Last week we talked about SERVICE.

God is a God who serves.

God humbled himself by taking the form of a servant, Jesus.

He calls us to take a similar posture… To serve those inside and outside the church — representing God’s character to the world around us.

We have two week left in our RHYTHMS series.

Today we’re tackling our 4th rhythms and that is LEARNING.

We never arrive in this life.

No matter how much we age, we should always be growing, remaining humble enough to grow and be taught.

We should be a teachable people.

We talk about discipleship a lot in Christian spirituality.

The word for disciple is really the word ‘learner’.

We follow the way of Jesus.

We follow other people as they follow the way of Jesus.

We LEARN the way of Jesus.

CONTINUALLY…

If you’re able, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.

Today, (1) we’re going to talk about Christian Discipleship, (2) What it means and the Importance of Renewing the Mind (as Paul states) and close with some (3) Practical Considerations around Learning.

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP

Defining Terms

A.W. Tozer

Whatever comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

A.W. Tozer

last year a Lifeway study found…

46% of Christians believed you don’t have to trust Jesus to be saved.

52% Thought their good deeds contributed to earning their salvation.

64% Believed God accepts worship of all religions… if you think that was just the result of those liberal millennials… actually more people over 50 believed that than people under 35!

The lie of pluralism is leading people of every age and ever race away from the truth.

64% of those claiming to be evangelicals Also believe that heave is a place where all people, everyone will be united with their loved ones… which was higher than the General American Public… Evangelicals were more Universalist Humanists than the average American.

51% of Americans Believe that Bible was written for each person to interpret how they want…

Half believe that Jesus was Created by God

While most believed that Jesus rose from the dead to save us… Most don’t believe that they needed to be saved!

Theology is the study regarding the nature of God.

Therefore, we are all doing THEOLOGY in some way at some time.

Theology is the study regarding the nature of God.

Therefore, we are all doing THEOLOGY in some way at some time.

Some of our theology is just really BAD.

When we think about God, when we believe certain things to be true about God, we are essentially acting as theologians.

And if God is real — if God made the world and everything in it, US… Then Tozer’s words ring even louder and more true… “Whatever comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Discipleship is wrapped up in this idea of LEARNING.

The posture of being a learner is supposed to mark us as Christians.

This is something we should prioritize.

Usually earlier in life and earlier in our walk with God — those times can mark us as being a time of eager learning and a willingness to be taught.

But something interesting happens as we age in life and even in faith — at times — what do we often call it?

THEY ARE STUCK IN THEIR WAYS… THEY’RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE

We are all prone to become more and more rigid in our ability to learn and grow.

We become rigid in our willingness to be challenged.

But with practice and with consistency, we can condition ourselves to enjoy the ACTION OF BEING A CONSTANT LEARNER!

What does it look like to learn?

Mind, Heart, Hands

It’s not ALL intellectual

Heart

We get it wrong when we think it’s ONLY about idea, concepts, and thinking.

Here is why that is dangerous.

IT ISN’T HELPFUL TO ALWAYS BE AFTER THE LATEST GREATEST TEACHING WHEN YOU AREN’T PRACTICING WHAT YOU’VE ALREADY LEARNED!

Our learning needs to penetrate to our heart.

How does our knowledge influence our character?!

We mustn’t confuse us having facts about God as equal to us having a relationship with God.

Because we can have facts and ideas down — and still be living a life of blatant unrepentant sin.

Our mind must be learning, our heart must be learning (character) and our hands (practice)… We must put the knowledge we’ve acquired to the test!

What does it matter if I know all kinds of theories about relationships and care and I never spend time with sinful and hurting people?

HEAD, HEART, HANDS

Hands

We’re Not Merely Spiritual Consumers

Engaged participants.

We’re so used to getting what we want so quick!

It’s easy then to see the CHURCH as a SERVICER OF RELIGIOUS GOODS AND SERVICES.

I go to church sometimes, I get my fix

I go, to be served